The rolling mountains twenty treasures Before and Inbetween games-game!

Valens day, First day of the sixth moon.
Summer is at its highest, and even do the sun is only half way up the eastern sky the heat in Eelsbridge is near unbearable.
It would seem like what IÃ”Ã‡Ã–m about to tell you is the start of an adventure, one of those tales dwarfs entertain their younglings and each other at the great feasts.

It starts, as it so often do, at an inn.
The Netted Serpent was dim and chilled even in the scorching heat of the day, but it was unusually few people for such a day. Maybe it was the early hour, only two tables were occupied. At one sits an elderly couple with a warm stew and mugs of ale. At the other, well at the other sits a far more intriguing figure, a man that stands out, and would probably do so even if the inn was full. Sitting in his armor he is bend over stacks upon stacks of paper, scrolls, maps, letters and books. One letter in hand he reads it again and again Ã”Ã‡Â£WagonÃ”Ã‡Âª got thatÃ”Ã‡Âª horsesÃ”Ã‡Âª yes yes, two fast and one strongÃ”Ã‡Âª. Food, torches, javelins yesÃ”Ã‡Âª. And then the chestÃ”Ã‡Âª hmmÃ”Ã‡Âª oh yes, and lanterns, they are there too.. hmmÃ”Ã‡Âª. That should be allÃ”Ã‡Âª hmm.. yesÃ”Ã‡Âª Boy!Ã”Ã‡Ã˜ He says aloud and shortly after a young teenage boy comes running from the kitchen, looking at the man Ã”Ã‡Â£yes sir?Ã”Ã‡Ã˜ Ã”Ã‡Ã´ Ã”Ã‡Â£here you go lad, five copper as agreed, would you be so kind as to return the items to the guild. I got what I needed from themÃ”Ã‡Ã˜ Ã”Ã‡Ã´ Ã”Ã‡Â£right away sirÃ”Ã‡Ã˜ the boy says and starts collecting all the paper, books and others. Then hurries out the door with it.

As the boy runs out the door two other characters enter, one seems to be a musician of some sort, maybe a bard, the other also carries an instrument, but something about his posture says that he is more of a disciplined person than the first. They look around and spots the man reading his letter again.

Suddenly a stumping starts coming down the stairs, a manÃ”Ã‡Âª no a dwarf of unusual height maybe? Moves into the dining area and gets eye contact with the inn keeper who points in the same direction as the two newcomers just looked, as the dwarf sees the reading man he looks back to the innkeeper who nods, hands him four mugs of ale and then goes back to his business.
Lastly, a man in scale mail enters the inn, battle axe over his shoulder he looks around and spots all the people in the inn. After he enters the inn keeper looks up, and with a shrug of his shoulder takes another mug of ale and goes down to place it at the readers table.
The sudden movement awakens the readerÃ”Ã‡Ã–s attention and he looks up, noticing the others.

This is a talking/simple action/investigation/before game-game.
You may talk to each other, walk around Eelsbridge, buy items and ask questions.
Currently in game there are 24 hours till the time where the roll20 session starts. So right now, you all just know to meet up here in The Netted Serpents inn.
Thinks, Theis, Ask and Quarg, your characters has all been told/found out/heard that you are to meet with a high elf here today, he will know when you are to set out and should have gathered the needed extra provisions and equipment for the escort mission. The pay is set at 150 gold per person, the mission is to take a total of 14 days, five to the City of Wind, four in city, and five back.

Spider, you have gathered the items from the letter you are reading right now (list below) and have been informed that people will meet you here at this time.

IÃ”Ã‡Ã–ll try to update this thread at least once per day between sessions. Maybe more.. ill answer questions (in game) as they come and I have time.

Feel free to take liberties and avoid skill/ability rolls as long as it does not: Give you items/harm each other/lets you know plot sensitive things.
Information gathering/haggling will need the proper rolls, combat is not an option.
You do not have a full day to work and earn extra money.

OOC Questions? Please use the ooc thread.

ITEM LIST:
A small Wagon/make shift chariot.
A draft horse
Two riding horses
Thirty daysÃ”Ã‡Ã– worth of food (The trip is supposed to take 5 days, but there are food for a total of 6 people)
A special chest with a magic lock, supposed to hold the taxes the lord should bring to the king.
10 Torches
2 lanterns
Oil for 96 hours use in lanterns (48 each)
10 javelins

bob walks over to the table in the middle of the room carring the 5 cups , filled to the brim with cheap ale, and places them down with a soft bang.
he quickly puts them by each chair
"if you mudbloods need anything else, just call out for me or like the old men "
he walks back, his legs making soft squicking noices and sits back at the bar drinking deeplvy from his mug

Thedor watches the dwarf...half dwarf? drop the drinks on the table and then casually insult them all.

He says nothing, just watches the dwarf for a second before approaching the table. <Good Morn,> He intones like a native in High elvish, with the proper short bow at the waist and inclination of the head. <May I take it that you are Imarial Liasphol? I was approached by an agent of the local Lord and hired for an escort mission.>

Thedor's brown hair is long enough to cover his ears, so only the silver in his eyes speaks to his part elvish blood, though the mustache indicates a good deal of human also. <Here is the agent's message on the matter.>

Thedor hands over a sealed scroll. He picks up the glass letting the High elf read it and takes a sip. Thedor looks at it and mumbles something in rather odd catfolk, [Flyingmonkeypiss] before walking over to the bar while the high elf continues to read.

"My good fellow..." he starts with the innkeeper-bar tender in oddly accented common, ignoring the pseudo-dwarf, "...may I purchase something a bit more tasty? I'd prefer to enjoy my drinking today, not get drunk quickly." He places the glass on the bar and half turns looking back at those at the table. "Perhaps a bottle of more enjoyable ale, or a bottle of summer wine, or even some cider?"

The scroll is just a message from the Lord's agent in City of the Wind explaining his difficulties in finding anyone not a drunk, thief, lowlife, pirate, or fop. And explaining he had hired Thedor Goldsong based on his ability to be none of those things but actually capable of using his sword; rather than "just using their sword like some sort of elongated wood ax; hacking away at the target and hoping for the best."

Last edited by Quarg on Wed Jan 18, 2017 5:15 pm, edited 2 times in total.

The inn keeper looks at the tall dwarf "Bob, behave... We had an agreement that you do this job... Those are the folks youll be working with I recon, no need to make enemies out of them already, they'll get plenty o' time to hate you"

He then turns to Thedor as he comes to the bar "well, we only have that ale, but we have vine priced at 1-2-4 and 12 silver per bottle, cider at 2 copper per cub. If your to fine for any of that I suggest trying out the merchant at skinners street, he sells some of that exotic stuff"
He hands Thedor whatever he orders and then continues looking at Bob with a stern look while putting cups and bowls on shelves...

"Let us try your four silver wine...simple but honestly made is my preferred choice..." Thedor states as he sips at the glass of wine before taking the whole bottle back to the table after throwing the right coinage on the bar.

When the strangely mustachioed half elf approaches, he stands and returns the greeting in Elvish <Good Morn. I am indeed Imarial... Royal Librarian and Researcher turned escort organizer.> Taking the proffered letter brusquely, he scans it quickly, waving a dismissive hand when the elf-man asks about other beverages. Well, the Lord's Agent seemed to think he wasn't entirely a buffoon... or did, and wanted to be rid of him for a bit.

Addressing the rest of the new arrivals in Common, "I take it that you are what Lord Rakal Hamstrur meant by a hired escort? At least you are punctual. I have procured the requested items for tomorrow's journey. We will be joined by the Lord tomorrow, where you will join in providing escort for him to the City of Wind, as well as the return trip. You will be compensated upon completion of the trip. I take it that is all clear and you have no questions."

With that, Imarial sits back down the leather of his armor creaking slightly as his slender frame perches with excruciatingly precise posture on the substandard furniture of the inn. His sandy blond hair is pulled back severely from his face, making is angular features all the more pronounced.

ill do my best I guess...he mutters as he picks up the coin handing it to the innkeeper, stupid son of an elf acting like he owns the place, talking his dirty treehugger tongue, I dont trust it he is probabbly trying to curse us with his foul magic. he looks up to the inn keeper who ignores him...
fine... but dont go complaining to me when you wake up as a chicken tommorow. bob continues to eavesdrop on the others wispering slurs under his breath

Thedor sits down, for a moment almost having the exact same posture as the high elf out of reflex, but then forces himself to relax into the chair, though not too much based on its rather elderly condition. "I do have a question <Librarian>...is there anything we are specifically wanting to interfere in the Lord's travels, or are we merely to ensure no one gets the idea into their head to do so?" He switches between common and elvish without pause using the elvish term for Librarian as a sort of title.

Thedor continues to ignore Bob...but somewhere inside him another notch of his internal detonator ticks down.

spiderwrangler wrote:Imarial inclines his head as the elf-man joins him and asks about the purpose of an armed escort. "He travels on business with the crown. We will ensure that business is not disrupted."

"Have you ever had to escort a royal official before?" Thedor asks as he sips his wine and begins to pull parts of his tenor shawm from his pack. The wood is quite old with the reddish glow of age underneath the polish.

"While I have been dragged across half of the Western Continent and the Red Iles beyond the sea. All the while escorting some [ballonbrained] Easterans. And have learned from the < Death's Handmaiden> herself on that trip. One, that it pays to know if someone wants to specifically interfere in your charge's travel versus those that just see a nice rich target of opportunity." He puts the instrument on the table and begins to look through his bag again. "So do you know of anyone specifically that might want to disrupt the Lord's travel, or the crown's business?" he pulls out a small, stained cloth and a bottle of yellow oil. He begins to use it to polish the wood of the instrument.

thinkslogically wrote:"Oh? Sounds like you have some interesting tales to tell, friend. From the looks of you I guess you're a career soldier, and a well-ranking one at that if you've had charges in your personal care."

Thedor smiles at the woman but waits for the High elf's reply before saying anything more.

Imarial perks up a bit when Thedor speaks of his travels. "I have wanted to visit the Red Iles, but my research has never brought me there. As far as disruptions, when Lords and the Crown have business, there is usually either money, power, or both involved.... Ah, what language was that word you used from? Bahlownbraynd?"

((I'm assuming this is also in the catfolk language you referenced earlier?))

"Well gents, it would appear we have some time to kill. Who plays dice? You in, dwarf? Or would the shame of losing to a bunch of halfbreeds be too much for a man of your stature to bear?"

► Show Spoiler

Glad to see my ability to absolutely nail useless rolls hasn't left me

what did you call me you knife ear freak, as bob pulls a knife on elara if you even think of using that term again ill shove that lute of yours so far up your ass, that every fart becomes a melody. after looking her in the eye for a few seconds with the pending stare of a mad man he sits down, you're lucky I need the money....

he starts cleaning the kitchen knife openly not caring if it freaks out the other ladies first he smiles

► Show Spoiler

if you havent noticed bobs an absolut ass, and I will play him as such, I do not share his belives or violent tendencies which you all know isnt me If I take it to far and you feel personally attacked, so tell and I will calm down a bit

Imarial casts prestidigitation, unleashing a shower of harmless sparks in the dwarf's face. Addressing him in Dwarvish, "You had best rein it in, I will not have your anger and intolerance jeopardizing this trip. If you cannot get along with others, you will not be coming along."

Last edited by spiderwrangler on Thu Jan 19, 2017 6:29 am, edited 2 times in total.

whoah buddy calm down with the magic and your strange elvish mumbo jumbo, I was just making sure me and the lass where on the same page no hard feelings here. he ignores the fact the dwarfish and plays dumb. not appologising he waits for the girls roll of dice before he tries to best her

stop calling me that ! you freak of nature I am man, a human man, mention that race again and you will loose those ears !
now sit down and go over that plan once more
I am the only one in this bar that has some muscles, you need me and I need you lot ! now not a word more before I really loose my tamper (all in common)

Thedor turns at this dwarven interruption and adds quietly but with venom, "Four to one is not a fight you want to start, because in the end we'll be teaching you the meaning of [Garobe Eating], so sit down and be quiet shorty "

He turns back to the other two and acts as if he need say nothing more on the matter, slowly polishing his instrument. "Yeah, I got hauled out the the Red Isles on a very undiplomatic, diplomatic mission. But I was just someone who could fetch and carry, run around with messages but at least could use a sword when needed... Too young and stupid to know better...Signed on to go have an adventure. But it turned into one of those situations you either learned fast or died faster. And 'cause I'm not good enough to make a living playing this..." He indicates the instrument, "I've found myself being essentially a sellsword...a mercenary going where I get paid to go...though most of the time its show up, look mean, talk some sense into people before they act stupid, and then leave. And I've likely picked up swear words in about six languages...but catfolk's tend to be somewhat melodic."

"I assume you'd want to visit that famous library, can't recall the name actually but remember the building...was a mess when I was there, but they were using it to quarter troops. I don't think it burned when the college it was nominally supposed to be part of was burned out. It was actually on the other side of a square which was a mud bog they were quartering horses in back then."